Andrew Deller, Director of Lifecraft Charity, a Cambridgeshire-wide user-led organisation supporting the well-being and recovery of adults who have experience of any kind of mental distress, visited CEB to discuss living with and coping with mental health issues.

Andrew gave a well-balanced talk starting off by telling the audience about his own battle with and experience of a mental health illness.

He also talked about the services offered by Lifecraft including a free lifeline (Tel. 0800 808 2121) run 365 days a year from 7 pm to 11 pm and the fantastic services offered to the members for free, including social activities and crafts or the running successful specialist groups like ‘Hearing voices', a group to help those experiencing this to talk to one another and better understand what’s going on in their minds and stop from over-processing, whilst they can benefit from talking to others with the same condition.

Andrew commented; “Living with a mental health issue can really knock you out and have a negative impact on other areas of your life like physical health and relationship with others . One day I just woke up and felt out of control and that I couldn’t carry on anymore. It was a shock to me and others around me. Luckily, I had the support of my family”.

He also highlighted the important factors influencing 'mental health recovery and un-recovery' and the issues faced by the charity in continuously having to raise most-needed funds to keep the charity going.

Finally, he shared coping mechanisms and signposted to services available including First Response Service from NHS (call 111, option 2) also available at any point to anyone in a mental health crisis.

For more information on the charity and its work or if you would like to make a donation do visit www.lifecraft.org.uk